Australian news, and some related international items

A new spanner in the works for the “nuclear renaissance”

In Australia, the gloom for uranium miners continues, with the spot price uranium market “at a standstill” ,and no improvement in sight. Martin Ferguson pushes for tenders for his pet project, a nuclear waste dump at Muckaty, in NT, even though that plan is still under court action. Electricity generation future prospects – not so much will be needed. Photovoltaic solar panels are one factor in this, and the solar panel revolution is taking politicians by surprise.

The nuclear ‘ renaissance’ really looks like a stillbirth today, as the USA Nuclear Regulatory Commission is forced, by an Appeals Court ruling, to suspend all new licensing of nuclear reactors. That applies to both new reactors, and old ones that seek relicensing.

The appeals court struck down the NRC’s Waste Confidence Rule, which stated that there was “reasonable assurance” a permanent waste site would be created “when needed, and also the Temporary Storage Rule , which allowed he storage of nuclear waste at nuclear power facilities for an indefinite period.

This has effectively frozen at least 19 final reactor licensing decisions – and must have repercussions for the global nuclear industry – and for Australia’s uranium industry.

Japan – many revelations of deception in the struggle to come to terms with the continuing nuclear disaster. TEPCO cheating by radiation doses being doctored, videos being doctored. Failure of the “Balloon Survey” to try to find out what’s going on inside Fukushima reactor No 1. Management of Fukushima area population is inept – “worse than in Chernobyl”.

India: Prime Minister Singh not happy with Russia’s immunity from accountability, regarding the nuclear reactors they are selling for Kudankulam nuclear power plant – Russia would get off scot free of costs, in the event of a nuclear accident.

Tanzania: Does anybody care? UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee caved in to commercial and government lobbyists – allowing a boundary change that will permit uranium mining at the magnificent Tanzania Selous Game Reserve. Environmental groups urging WHC to rethink this.

USA. That naughty 82 year old Catholic anti nuclear nun – described as “violent’ and a “danger to the community” – now facing court felony charges that call for 10 years in prison! And she’s out on bail – heavens, we’re all in danger.